Thankyou for signing the petition to keep Pioneers Retreat in Batman Park as a community lease. The petition was presented at the Darebin council meeting on 23 June. The outcome was a unanimous Councillor vote to send the request back to Council staff via the CEO for action. The sentiment was positive in support of the request for reclassification of the property as a 'community' lease. We do not yet have a final outcome and we may still have to 'bid' for a lease in July, but the issue was certainly raised effectively. On this video you can see the vote at around 50 minutes in. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxw1AMIw6bI

Simon & the WeCycle volunteers

Ready for submitting - Petition submitted, up for discussion tomorrow at Council

22.06.2025 07.26

Thankyou for signing the petition to keep Pioneers Retreat in Batman Park as a community lease. We have received 715 signatures and the petition will be presented at a Council meeting at Darebin Town Hall in Preston, @ 6pm Monday 23 June. I will let you know of any outcome from the meeting.
Simon & the WeCycle volunteers

Changes to the petition

17.06.2025 06.48

the useful life of the petition is July 2025

Neue Begründung:

WeCycle is a community association staffed only by volunteers [mostly Darebin residents], that operates from the building known as Pioneer's Retreat in Batman Park [not yet renamed], corner of Arthurton Road and St George's Road, Northcote, VIC by the tram stop. You may have seen us or visited us?

Our mission since 2016 has been to restore and give out free bikes to members of the community and particularly refugees and asylum seekers, from Darebin and beyond. Bikes provide mobility options and exercise. We have donated well over 1000 bikes to adults, children and families and have a list of several hundred more to fill, supplied by social care agency officers, from AMES, Spectrum, Brotherhood of St Laurence, etc. We also support two NDIS mechanics and their carers on site, and give advice and mechanical help to bike owners, particularly during a free monthly Darebin Council Bike Check.

In March 2025 we were not offered the normal affordable lease renewal by Darebin Council. On 26 May 2025, without consulting us, Leasing recommended the building be offered for 'commercial' expressions of interest only, and this was approved by Councillors. We will potentially be bidding for the space later this year alongside other potential users. We have not yet been offered an alternative venue, and because we have served the community for so long, we argue that this building should be re-classified as 'community' space [it has never had a commercial tenant since it housed a young children's care clinic and other community activities].

We Cycle has appeared on national TV, and in publications highlighting our work. We receive some community grants and donations but most of the budget is spent on parts and insurance. We are registered with Community Affairs VIC.

We aim to present this petition with councillor sponsorship at Council meetings on 23 June 2025 or 30 June 2025. Your councillors are listed here if you also want to contact them. The Shed is in South West Ward [Clr is Alexandra.Sangster@darebin.vic.gov.au]

ThankyouSimon Batterbury 0406021270 & the WeCycle Board

Signatures at the time of the change: 640